


in your black heart is where you'll find me

by ladybex



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Color Guard Rey, Drum Corp AU, Drumline Ben, F/M, I picked Phantom Regiment because the name kinda fit SW, Jyn and Cassian are Rey's adopted parents because I can do that, This is ridiculous nonsense but enjoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-16
Updated: 2018-05-16
Packaged: 2019-05-07 17:05:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14675591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladybex/pseuds/ladybex
Summary: The one thing she was not prepared for was how hot it gets in Illinois in May.Or how many of the guys in the corp were totally comfortable marching completely shirtless the first day.Which was all of them apparently.One, in particular, was a snare drummer who was a wall of solid muscle and whose entire demeanor was as dark as his hair. For some reason, Rey found herself inexplicably drawn to him and despite her lack of experience when it comes to dating, she definitely knows how to appreciate the physical attributes of many males. It really sucked that he seemed like a total asshole though.





	in your black heart is where you'll find me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [riahchan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/riahchan/gifts).



> I'm a former high school band geek (color guard) who never got to audition for drum corp because I dislocated my shoulder during my senior year of high school. There are definitely some liberties taken in here with the structure of how spring training and auditions run for DCI so uh, don't quote me on these things. 
> 
> Phantom Regiment was an easy choice because A) their name is vaguely Star Wars-y and B) my HS band director was PR alumni so they have always been my personal favorite. 
> 
> Title from "Black Heart" by Carly Rae Jepsen

A little less than a year ago, Rey and her best friend Finn had joined the rest of the incoming group of high school seniors from their marching band in attending a Drum Corp International competition at a local stadium, something their director had encouraged as a “last hurrah” before their final weeks of band camp with their high school band and their last season as Marching Wolverines before heading off to universities or into the work force. To say it had a lasting impact would be putting it lightly, Rey had never been more mesmerized than she was that night under the field lights watching the top drum corps in the country put on shows with grace and precision and passion, while Finn sat next to her with the same slack jawed look etched onto his face.  
  
“Peanut, we have to audition for one of these groups. Imagine spending a whole summer touring the country, doing this?” Finn had whispered to her in the back of someone’s car on the ride home that night, their Phantom Regiment t shirts clutched tightly in their hands.  
  
She couldn’t imagine anything she’d want to do more than march with a drum corp the next summer, and thanked her lucky stars that the couple who had adopted her as a child were endlessly enthusiastic about helping her achieve anything she had put her mind to.  
  
***  
  
“I just can’t believe you’re going to miss graduation darling, that’s all,” her mother, Jyn, tells her as they pull into parking lot of the high school in Illinois that she and Finn will be spending the next few weeks in while preparing for their first national tour with Phantom Regiment.  
  
“I still get the diploma, which is the important part anyway. This is an opportunity of a lifetime, right Dad?” Rey says in an attempt to redirect her mom’s focus to anything but high school graduation.  
  
Her father, Cassian, raises a single eyebrow at her in the rearview mirror and lets out a low chuckle at the exasperated sigh she gives him from her seat in the back of the CRV.  
  
“Sunshine is right Stardust. Our darling daughter worked her tail off to join the Phantomettes and to finish her classwork in advance in order to go on tour, so while we’re missing the ceremony, she still will be a high school graduate at the end of the day, and she’s still going to university in the fall,” her father says in a hushed tone to her mother, who already looks like she could burst into tears at any moment.  
  
“I’ll be fine mom. Finn’s here!”  
  
“He’s not who I’m worried about darling,” her mother says as she looks out of the window and eyes a group of very tall, very broad guys who are already strapped into their snare drums and working their way through a cadence.  
  
“Oh my god mom. I’ll be lucky if any of the snares know my name by the end of the season. I’m going to be spending most of my time with my section anyway, the girls we’re so nice at the camps I attended this spring, and Finn’s new friend Rose from camp will be playing in the pit with him and she marched Phantom last season and her older sister is here too. I promise, I’ll be okay.”  
  
Her mother turns around in the passenger side seat and grabs her hand, eyes glistening with tears and a small, sad smile graces her timeless face.  
  
“Sunshine, when we brought you home with us, we promised you the world. We’ve supported you through everything you’ve ever wanted to do, and your father and I will support you through this too. Don’t be too embarrassed by us when we come to as many shows as we can manage though, okay? We’re so proud of our Rey of sunshine,” her mother says as she presses a kiss across Reys knuckles.  
  
She has to roll her eyes up and into the back of her head to keep herself from crying.  
  
“Let’s get you unpacked and checked in baby,” her dad finally says to cut through the tension that’s built up in the rental car.  
  
An hour later Rey, Finn and by extension their new friends Rose and Paige Tico are saying their goodbyes as Rey’s parents and Finn’s aunt pile back into their cars to start the drive back to their hotels. Rey doesn’t even attempt to hold back the tears this time, crying freely into the shoulder of her best friend as her parents pull out of sight finally.  
  
“At least this is practice for university, right?” Finn murmurs as he rubs his hand comfortingly between Rey’s shoulder blades.  
  
“That’s the spirit! Let’s get you two inside and aquatinted to more people alright, it’ll help!” Rose exclaims animatedly as her sister nods in agreement.  
  
Rey spends the rest of the night meeting new people, laughing at dumb jokes, and with a smile permanently etched into her face. She knows this will be all she’s been looking forward to and more.  
  
***  
  
The one thing she was not prepared for was how hot it gets in Illinois in May.  
  
Or how many of the guys in the corp were totally comfortable marching completely shirtless the first day.  
  
Which was all of them apparently.  
  
One, in particular, was a snare drummer who was a wall of solid muscle and whose entire demeanor was as dark as his hair. For some reason, Rey found herself inexplicably drawn to him and despite her lack of experience when it comes to dating, she definitely knows how to appreciate the physical attributes of many males. It really sucked that he seemed like a total asshole though.  
  
Regardless to being able to appreciate the male form, actually talking to a good looking guy while they were completely shirtless was a new concept and she found herself avoiding anyone who wasn’t a Phantomette because well, she didn’t really know what else to do.  
  
“Rey, they are just boys. Dumb boys. These guys are band geeks, but to the extreme honestly, because this is fucking drum corp and it doesn’t get geekier than this. Don’t be intimidated,” the color guard captain, Kaydel, tells her with a knowing smile during their first break.  
  
“It wasn’t like this in high school marching band,” she finds herself saying before the older girl bursts into laughter.  
  
“No, I suppose it wasn’t. You’ll get used to it, just treat them like they aren’t even there and soon enough you won’t even notice them,” Kay tells her with a pat on the shoulder before she walks over to where a group of their fellow guard members are chatting.  
  
Rey takes a deep breath and gives herself a mental pep talk before she turns herself back towards the field and she doesn’t even get two steps away from where she’s been standing before she comes eye to well, _chest_ , with the very same guy who she hasn’t been able to keep her eyes off all week no matter how hard she’s tried.  
  
“Oh um, pardon me,” she squeaks as she attempts to side step the giant man that blocks her direct path to where Finn and Rose are chatting.  
  
The guy just chuckles but doesn’t do much in way of letting her get around him. Instead he crosses his arms across his impossibly broad chest and stubbornly stands there until she finally moves her eyes from where they have been glued on the ground, his eyebrows shooting up into his hairlines when he see’s how red her face has gotten.  
  
“Don’t tell me you’ve never seen a shirtless guy before rookie,” the dark haired guy muses with the ghost of a smirk on his lips.  
  
“Of course, I have!” Rey whines as her brows furrow into a deep v and she lets out a huff. It’s all she can do to not stomp her foot.  
  
“I mean in real life. Like, face to face,” he says in his deep tenor, his voice hints at teasing and his eyes dance with mirth.  
  
“I don’t see how that matters. Or why you even care, you don’t even know me.”  
  
The giant of a man gives her a genuine smile as he holds his hand out, “I’m Ben Solo, lead snare.”  
  
She tentatively takes his hand to shake it, and is pleasantly surprised when he grips it firmly, but not tightly. Rey really can’t help but smile back at him despite the blush that is creeping down her neck.  
  
“Rey Erso-Andor, color guard.”  
  
“I know who you are rookie, believe it or not I remember you from audition camp.”  
  
She fixes him with such a look of disbelief that he actually gruffs a laugh at her.  
  
“You don’t have to believe me, and I promise I’m not messing with you, but you’re probably one of the most naturally talented Phantomette’s I’ve ever seen. You leave an impression on everyone.”  
  
Rey can feel her blush deepen at Ben’s kind words and really wants to advert her eyes to anything other than the deep chocolate ones she’s finding herself currently drowning in.  
  
Why did she think he was such an asshole in the first place?  
  
“Also, I saw you trip over your own two feet when you were carrying your bags in at the beginning of spring training and it’s hard to forget the face of someone who is so graceful on the field but the complete opposite off,” he says with a full blown smirk on his lips and the devil dancing in his eyes.  
  
Oh yeah, that’s why she thought he was an asshole.  
  
“Nice to meet you Rey,” Ben says as finally steps aside to let her continue to her friends.  
  
Rey really wants to stomp off, but instead does probably the single most bold thing she can think of and crosses her arms over her chest and makes a show of checking shirtless Ben out before she catches his eye and gives him a smirk of her own. The over confident drummer is a spectacular shade of scarlet by the time she moves past him and towards her friends again.  
  
“Likewise, Ben,” she calls over her shoulder to where he is still standing dumbfounded.  
  
This summer is certainly shaping up to be one she’ll never forget.  


**Author's Note:**

> You can find my Reylo sideblog at @forcebondbensolo on tumblr! I do my primary blogging at @bex-xo, it's a little bit of everything over there.
> 
> tweet me at @itsbexduh


End file.
